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What If? 104th issue (2nd volume)
What If? Vol. 2 #104 is the 104th issue of the 2nd volume of the What If? series of Marvel Comics. This comic explores what would have happened if the Silver-Surfer successfully stole the Infinity-Gauntlet from Thanos and the lost it to the Impossible-Man. This universe is designated Earth-95397 of the Marvel Multiverse and diverges from the mainstream Earth-616 during the events of Infinity-Gauntlet Vol. 1 #4. =Synopsis= Thanos had just laid waste to what remained of Earth’s heroes. The Silver Surfer flew in to snatch the Infinity Gauntlet from Thanos’ hand at just the right instant. Thanos reacts by blasting at the Surfer and knocking the Gauntlet out of his hands. He smacks aside Captain America, runs to the falling Gauntlet, reaches out and grabs… nothing. For at the last second, the Impossible Man snags the Infinity-Gauntlet. Omnipotence is his. Impossible Man beams over his new-found power while both Thanos and Silver Surfer remark, “This is not happening,” in horrified shock. Thanos tries to fry Impossible Man, but his omnipotence puts a damper on that. Before this can go any further, Eternity, Galactus and all the other cosmic giants show up to reclaim the Gauntlet. Surfer assures Impy that he’ll be fine as long as he gives it up, but Impossible Man doesn’t want to. Instead, he morphs into NightCrawler, grabs Surfer and teleports away. As a brief sight gag, Impossible Man morphs into the Beyonder to prove a point about cosmic beings with no experience. To prove that he’s capable of using the Gauntlet for good, Impossible Man checks Surfer’s mind and soul to see what he truly wants. Impossible Man tells Surfer to close his eyes and soon he reopens them to see his home planet Zenn-La before him. The two take a closer look. Silver Surfer knows that this planet shouldn’t be in this part of the universe, but the place is definitely Zenn-La. It isn’t long before the two meet Shalla-Bal, Surfer’s lost love. Her touch causes the silver shell to melt off, reverting Norrin Radd to his old humanity. Norrin decides that Impossible Man’s intentions are true and that he has his blessings to continue using the Gauntlet. Impossible Man flies off to make people happy and right wrongs, only to stop himself after about five seconds. If he can bring happiness to others, why not himself. Forget selflessness, he thinks. Later in the day, Radd gets a message from Galactus’ form, claiming that Impossible Man has gone mad with power and that the Silver Surfer is needed. Galactus reverts him to his silvery form and sets him loose. Silver Surfer doesn’t want to leave his home, but knows that if Galactus is telling the truth, this is something worth fighting against. Surfer finds Impossible Man dressed as a mobster with Galactus pinned to a giant bullseye. Impy explains that he could make it so that his Poppupian race is diverse and happy, but that’s not much of a possibility considering Galactus had eaten the planet. Galactus is given the choices of vomiting up Poppup or experiencing the cosmic consequences. Surfer refuses to stand idly by during this, which angers Impossible Man. He briefly turn into Roddy Piper and then turns into Ghost Rider and cycles towards Galactus, only to be stopped by Silver Surfer’s plead. Surfer realizes that the Zenn-La the Impossible Man brought him to wasn’t real. It’s just something created from his mind. So by using the Infinity Gauntlet and Galactus’ planetary knowledge, Poppup can live again. Impossible Man sees the logic and makes a deal with Galactus that in return for Poppup, he’ll relinquish the Infinity Gauntlet. Galactus makes it apparent that they can’t just recreate the planet out of thin air. Zenn-La, being the closest planet in the area, needs to be destroyed and used as raw materials to recreate Poppup. Surfer doesn’t like this, but if he searches for another planet, Eternity will catch up to them and fight Impossible Man. Surfer makes yet another sacrifice and lets Galactus destroy this fake Zenn-La. Poppup is recreated and Impossible Man cries in joy. While he flies down to the surface, Surfer talks things over with his former boss. This new Poppup is just as much an illusion as the new Zenn-La, but there’s a difference. Impossible Man needs the illusion and can easily accept it. Silver Surfer, on the other hand, would never accept the false Zenn-La, especially since he knows the real one is out there somewhere. In a way, Galactus was helping him by preventing him from living a lie. On Poppup, Impossible Man gives his people individual personalities, resurrects the Elders of the Universe and relinquishes the Infinity Gauntlet. It’s then that Silver Surfer discovers that all the Poppupians have the personalities, appearances (except for the green skin) and memories that match those of every superhero and villain on Earth. Category:What If? (2nd volume) Category:Infinity-Gauntlet (completed) Category:Soul-Gem (solo-possession) Category:Mind-Gem (solo-possession) Category:Power-Gem (solo-possession) Category:Time-Gem (solo-possession) Category:Reality-Gem (solo-possession) Category:Space-Gem (solo-possession) Category:Infinity-Gauntlet (comic-series)